1986 Statos rewire

[drdetroit3]

I just bought a 1986 Stratos 18' bass boat. Just got it back from the shop, had the motor tuned up runs good. My next project is to redo the wiring. Right know it has 8 wires hooked to the positive battery terminal and no fuse panel. Also the gauges don't work, all the wires are there but alot disconnected. It has 4 switches on the consol power,bildge,lights and areator that work sometimes. I got a generic diagram from stratos to start from.
What I am looking at doing is installing a fuse panel, getting the pumps and lights to work and the guages. I also would like to install a battery charger built in so all I have to do is plug the boat in to charge, I currently have 2 batteries 1 for the troller and 1 for the boat.

Any advise would be great, also any advise on fuse panel, wire, battery charger!!!

Thanks Mike

 

[Silvertip]

Re: 1986 Statos rewire

It's all here. Start with the generic wiring digram sticky at the top of this forum. Gauges are NOT powered from the fuse panel. They are powered from the "A" terminal on the ignition switch. You run a red and black #10 wire from the starting battery to the fuse panel. All other circuits (switches, locators, pumps, etc) get power from there. You install a 20 amp breaker on the positive battery post. Nothing you need to do with the troller battery. Buy the charger (two bank) and wire each output directly to each battery.

 

[drdetroit3]

Re: 1986 Statos rewire

20 amp fuse on the positive battery. the starter batt? What is that for?
Also can you recommend a fuse panel??

Thanks for the info.

Mike

 

[drdetroit3]

Re: 1986 Statos rewire

buying fuse panel today, silvertip said to get a 20amp breaker on the pos battery terminal, what is this for and I can not find one online???

Mike

 

[Silvertip]

Re: 1986 Statos rewire

If you look at any wiring diagram for a boat, you will find that the starting battery also powers the fuse panel. It DOES NOT get power via the engine harness as that harness does not typically have the capacity to power large numbers of accessories. So a separate pair of wires runs from the battery to the fuse panel. The circuit breaker protects that main feed. The feed wires are typically #10 or #8 so the breaker can be sized accordingly. If you can't find a 20 amp breaker you are not looking in the right place. Any auto store will have them. Try to find one that is sealed in plastic.

 

[drdetroit3]

Re: 1986 Statos rewire

So I got a 12 circuit fuse block, but I still can't find a 20 amp breaker? Went to the auto parts store all they have is a 20 inline fuse is this what I need??
Sorry if these are dumb ?'s, i am a contractor I can wire a house but never wired a boat before!
What size fuses do I need 1.bildge 2.arerator 3.lights 4.fishfinder 5.12 volt lighter 6.horn the rest are spares.
heres the panel I got.
http://www.iboats.com/Screw-Termina...9507138--**********.664806303--view_id.163741

 

[Silvertip]

Re: 1986 Statos rewire

Gee whiz, even the auto department at my local farm store has all sorts of relays, fuses, and wiring supplies. A 20 amp fuse will work just as well but why bother. This is 2010 - why not use a breaker. Your gauges don't work because they probably don't have power to them. They become active when you turn the key to RUN. They get power from the accessory terminal ("A" terminal) on the ignition switch. The fuse panel you have is just fine. You will run a #10 red (+12 volts) and a #10 black (ground) stranded wire to the +12 and ground bus on the fuse panel. The 20 amp fuse or breaker is installed at the POS post on the battery. From the fuse panel you go to switches then to the loads.

 

[NYBo]

Re: 1986 Statos rewire

I see a breaker or two right here.